Israeli prisons overcrowded due to dramatic increase of prisoners

Palestinian prisoners inside Israel’s Meggido Prison have complained of overcrowding caused by the dramatic increase of prisoner numbers during the ongoing intifada, local Palestinian news agency Sawa reported yesterday.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said that dozens of new prisoners were pushed inside Meggido Prison and that despite the increased numbers the prison has not provided any additional supplies for its inmates.

“The Israeli Prison Service entered 70 new prisoners to Meggido without allowing them to buy new clothes and covers through their families,” the PPS said in a statement.

According to prisoners, they have been given no winter clothes and thus there are concerns of poor health and illness during the winter months. Prisoners also claim they have been receiving negligible medical treatment inside the prison.

In a message sent from the prison, the prisoners called for human rights groups and international organisations to send or facilitate the supply of clothes and blankets for them.

They also called for these organisations to put pressure on Israel to improve medical treatment and conditions within its prisons.